2012 GLAAD Media Award Winners Named

Dianna Agron, Rita Moreno, Kerry Washington, Adam Pally, Janet Mock, Shay Mitchell and pop music sensation fun. joined the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) as it honored advocate, author and producer Shonda Rhimes, Wells Fargo, Facebook and the best in television and journalism Sunday night at the 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards in San Francisco.

The GLAAD Media Awards recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and the issues that affect their lives. The GLAAD Media Awards also fund GLAAD’s work to amplify stories from the LGBT community and issues that build support for equality.

Kerry Washington, Guillermo Diaz and Katie Lowes presented the Golden Gate Award to Shonda Rhimes, creator of “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Private Practice” and “Scandal.” The Golden Gate Award is presented to a media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting equality.

In her acceptance speech, Rhimes said, “I think that love is universal. And I think in telling LGBT stories, I’m telling everyone’s story. Love is, in fact, universal, right? … I want my daughters to grow up in a world in which there is more love than hate. I want them to know a world where everyone is free. So that’s why I write the stories that I do, because everyone should be free. Love should be universal. And no one should get to tell me or you or my kid who they can love, or who they can marry or have babies with.”

Rhimes continued, “I want to thank GLAAD for bestowing me with this honor, and it truly feels like an honor. I’m going to do my best in the future to deserve the honor that’s bestowed on me and make GLAAD proud.”

Brittany McMillan, creator of Spirit Day which inspires millions to wear purple or “go purple” on social media in support of LGBT youth, presented a Special Recognition Award to Facebook for the company’s strong support of its LGBT users. Spirit Day will be held on Oct. 19. Facebook’s Andrew Noyes and Sara Sperling accepted the award on behalf of Facebook.

In a pre-recorded video, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg said of the honor, “For two decades, GLAAD has recognized those who promote understanding, increase acceptance and advance equality. This is incredibly important and I couldn’t be more pleased that Facebook is among those being honored by GLAAD this year. I’m thankful that GLAAD has recognized our commitment to helping young people make safe, smart and responsible choices online and offline. We’re committed to helping people express who they really are.”